Next Year Is Here – Reference Mark

It happens every year: The day after the last out is recorded in the World Series, the collective press appears ahead. The Champagne isn’t even flat yet, but the pundits are trotting out their finest predictions for the way things will appear next year.

To turn this sporting metaphor ahead of the automotive, last year featured some rollicking contest. So while we all kiss the excellent winners in our tests–Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, along with Genesis G70–that coming year will include a cast of new vehicles so powerful that winning Best Driver’s Car and Of The Year competitions will require next-level stuff. Let’s take a look at the highlights of what we have contributed:

Best Driver’s Car: For 2018, we analyzed too early in the summer to have access to a Ferrari 812 Superfast, Aston Martin Superleggera, Bentley Continental GT, or Lamborghini Urus. This ’s hoping the Chevrolet launch team will have their mid-engine Corvette ready by summer for that which might be an all time shootout. Wait, is that the newest Porsche 992 wakes up the asphalt, being chased by a BMW Z4 along with Toyota Supra? And perhaps a Lambo Huracan substitute, or a McLaren Speedtail, or Aston Martin Valkyrie, or a Tesla Roadster Edition? Time to call Tire Rack.

Truck of the Year: This last year possess the rarity of fresh full-size trucks in Ram, Chevrolet, along with GMC, and a diesel entrance from Ford, all hitting the identical time, but next year may be even more thrilling. Heavy-duty trucks are coming out of the exact brands, and we have new midsize entrances in the form of the Jeep Gladiator and Ford Ranger–and Chevy gets the rock-crawling Bison version of the Colorado ZR2. Rumor has it that Toyota has significant changes in your mind for its full size Tundra.

SUV of the Year: Honda will bring back the Passport nameplate to divide the gap between our two-time SUVOTY-winning CR-V along with the strong seven-seat Pilot. But its rapid track to the title will have strong competition contrary to the Lincoln Aviator–which, when it’s anywhere near as great as its big brother Navigator, will probably be right in the mixture. Even the Blue Oval isn’t done yet, together with the yield of the Escape (and possibly the Bronco annually ’s conclusion ). Chevy reprises the Blazer. Now that Genesis has revealed that Korean brands may deservedly win an OTY contest, Hyundai trots from the seven-seat Hyundai Palisade. Don’t even count out Toyota with its own new Highlander. At the end of the current marketplace, the huge BMW X7 arrives, as does the Mercedes GLE with its immediately adjustable ride height. Land Rover moves its gorgeous Velar styling speech down to a prior SUVOTY-winning Evoque. And given the effect the electric Jaguar I-Pace had on last year, an individual can readily assume the Audi E-Tron will shake things up.

Car of the Year: Good luck comes in threes. Next year, the redesigned BMW 3 Series along with Mazda3 debut. For all those keeping score, our past two COTYs–the Alfa Romeo Giulia along with Genesis G70–were vehicles that challenge the BMW 3er for luxury compact sport sedan dominance. Now the Bimmer is back to reclaim its crown. Meanwhile, the Mazda3 (the team ’s no default pick when requested, “I require a fun first new car that won’t even split my wallet”-RRB- aims to show once more what’s possible at the inexpensive end of the spectrum. Toyota will beg to differ, but with a redesigned Corolla sedan running to the zippy new TNGA system, while Nissan aims to show exactly what the Renault alliance may mean for the Sentra. Mercedes continues its march downmarket with the A-Class sedan. The VW Passat–which won COTY in its final launch–is new. For those with more premium-brand ambitions, BMW has been bringing the 8 Series, and Jaguar redesigns its XJ sedan to become fully electric.

Caught your breath yet? All these are merely the vehicles we all know about. There might be much more new arrivals from the wings, hidden under designers’ tarps. To return to baseball (and shamelessly borrow from W.P. Kinsella’s Shoeless Joe), it seems like all the cosmic tumblers have clicked right into place. The world is showing us what’s possible.

More by Mark Rechtin:

How We Determine our Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year
You Can’t Buy Love, Bug
A Decade’s Progress
The Evolution and Rise of the SUV
The Sedan Is Not Dead

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